Monday, July 20, 2015

THE ABC'S OF READING & 'RITING: LETTER E

Today's letter E is for ECLECTIC...

I've always been a voracious reader ever since my older sister, Janet, helped teach me how to read. When it came time to teaching my own son how to read, I encouraged him to read a variety of different genres. A good read is a good read no matter whether it's a picture book, mystery, middle grade humor, or nonfiction. Here are some of my favorites I've read over the years...

A TALE OF TWO CITIES by Charles Dickens...The plight of the French peasantry demoralised by the
French aristocracy in the years leading up to the revolution.

SILAS MARNER by George Eliot...A gentle linen weaver is accused of a heinous crime. Exiling himself, he
becomes a recluse, only to find redemption in his love for an abandoned
child who mysteriously appears one day in his isolated cottage.

MISTY OF CHINCOTEAGUE by Marguerite Henry...Set in the island town of Chincoteague,Virginia, the book tells the story of the Beebe family and their efforts to raise a filly born to a wild horse.

A DIFFERENT CLASS BOYHOOD by JP Rambling...From humble beginnings in a small coal-mining community, where life was
largely idyllic, Joel is thrust into the alien environment of a plush
boys' boarding school and things begin to unravel.

CHASING LINCOLN'S KILLER by James Swanson... Based on rare archival material, obscure trial manuscripts, and
interviews with relatives of the conspirators and the man hunters, this book is a fast-paced thriller about the pursuit and
capture of John Wilkes Booth.

DON'T FORGET TO WRITE by Pam Hobbs...In June 1940, 10-year-old Pam Hobbs and her sister Iris took the long
journey from their council home in Leigh-on-Sea to faraway rural
Derbyshire during England's countrywide Operation Pied Piper in an attempt to save the children from Hitler's bombs.

THE THREE NINJA PIGS by Corey Rosen Schwartz...Why does this wolf think he can come to town and blow all the houses
down? These three little pigs just aren't going to take it from that
bully anymore! The first starts aikido lessons---he'll make mincemeat
out of that wolf! His brother learns a little jujitsu--he'll chop that
guy to pieces!

HAMPIRE by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen

On the farm, the critters knew,At night while they were sleeping,Past barn and pens,Past lambs and hens, A HAMPIRE went out creeping.

THE MONSTORE by Tara Lazar...The Monstore is a one-stop shop for all your monsterly needs in this
enormously funny story that's full of friendly, kooky creatures.

I'm heavily into picture books these days...reading an average of 300-400 books a year...along with all the other books I read, but so far my all time favorite book is...

THE GIVING TREE by Shel Silverstein...The book follows the life of a female apple tree and a boy who are able
to communicate with each other; the tree addresses the human as "Boy"
his entire life. In his childhood, the boy enjoys playing with the tree,
climbing her trunk, swinging from her branches, and eating her apples.
However, as time passes he starts to make requests of the tree.

How about you? What are some of your favorite reads over the years? Do you have an all time favorite? Share with me in the comments below...

Blurb:Addie
comes from a long line of readers or "story catchers" as her family
likes to call themselves. Every time Addie tries to catch a story on her
own the wiggly words play tricks on her. She tries different ways to
make those words sit still but it will take a little faith for Addie to
become the next STORY CATCHER.